Water-level indicator and automatic scoop control for locomotive tenders



Dec. 3l, 1929. J, C, DUDLEY 1,741,618

' WATER LEVEL INDICATOR AND AUTOMATIC scoo CONTROL FOR LocoMoTIvE TENDERS Filed Aug. 25, 1928 311mm No@ Patented Dec. 31, 1929 'LUN-21 TED STATES PATENT OFFICE JESSE C. DUDLEY, OF WILKINSB'URG, PENNSYLVANIA Application led August 25, 1928. Serial No. @2,13%

This inventionrelates to apparatus for use in connection-with the vtenders of locomotives and particularly to apparatus for `use in connectionwith the water carried thereby, the

principal: object being the provision of anew andfnovel means for automatically indicating therlevel of thewater in the water tank portion ofthe tender.

Another `object is to provide a float con- 1@ trolled lwater level indicator for locomotive tenders which will not beaifected by low temperatures.

Another object is toprovide a lioat controlled water level indicator' for vlocomotive tendersfin which no packing to prevent the escape ofwater is necessarylabout any of the indicator parts.

Another object is to: provide automatically actuated power means for raising .the water se scoop of a locomotive tender when a predeterminedrlevel of water is presentI in the water tank.

Another object is to prov-ide, in combina* tion with the water scoop `of a locomotive tender, manually operated means fory placing` .therwater scoop irl-.lowered or operative position'andlaiitomatically actuated power means for placingthescoop in raised. or inoperative position when a predeterminedameunt of Awater-has 1neen forcediinto thetank by the scoop.

Another objectis to provide lautomatically actuated means for placing the scoop control valve of a locomotivetenderin 1raised scoop 3:3 position when apredetermined amount of water has entered the water tank of the tender.

A. further objectisto provide a. combiner water level indicator and automatic control a for scoop valves of locomotive tenders,

The above beingvr among the .objects of the present invention, the same consists in certain features of constructionand combinations of parts to be vhereinafter described with refer- 3 ence tothe :accompanying drawing', and then claimed, havingthe above and other objects in view.

In the *accompanying drawing which illustrates a .suitable embodiment ofthe present inventions,andinwhich like numerals refer to like .parts throughout the several different vieWs,-

Fig. l is a vmore or less diagrammatic side view of a locomotive tender provided with a waterscoop and control therefor as in conventional constructions, and further provided with a water level indicator and automatic control for the scoop control Valve.

F 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional l view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l illus trating` a preferred method of supporting part of the water level indicating mechanism on the tender.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged more or less diagrammatic View of the mechanism lemployed for movi-ng` the scoop control valve to raised scoop position when the Water tank is filled with Water. f

Fig. 4 is a. diagrammatic perspective view illustrating-.a modified form of water level indicator and scoop control mechanism.

It is conventional practice for railroads to equip the tenders of locomotives employed on long runs with scoops for picking` up water fromy pans or troughs while the locomotive is traveling at its normal speed. These pans or troupjisv are positioned betweenthe tracks and` are usually of such length that suiiicient time is given to completely i'ill the water tank of the tender while passingover the same.V As far as I vam aware the ouh/method used at the present time to tell when the water tank is full of water so as to indicate when to raise the scoop, is by waiting` until the water overflows the top of the tender. This practice is in itself very dangerous for it is a frequent occurrence vf'hentwo trains are passing each other at the time such water is overflowing the'tender of one `of them for the water to be thrown against the other train with such force as to break the windows thereof, often .injuring the passengers, and it has been known to strike the steps and other parts of the train passing with such force as to tear the same from such trains. Thatthis is possible is readily apparent when seen that each of such trains may be travelinga mile a minute and that the flow of water picked up by such scoops is necessarily great during the relatively small interval of time during which the large locomotive tanks must be lilled.

Furthermore, if the water does not overiow the tender in passing over a water trough, it is necessary to determine if there is sufficient water in the tender to last until the locomotive reaches the next water station so that if there is not, proper precaution may be taken to avoid damage from that cause. At the present time the method of determining this is for the fireman to crawl back over the coal and visually inspect the level of the water by looking into the tank. With the large tenders in use on the locomotive hauling tast passenger trains the coal is piled high and it makes it very unsafe to crawl over the tog of the coal pile while the locomotive is running at high speed. rThe present invention aims to eliminate this method of determining the level ot the water in the tender and the dangers attendant thereto.

Various mechanisms have been suggested for indicating the level of water in a locomotive tender but as tar as I am aware all of these have taken the form of a glass tube connected with the water tank at the top and bottom thereof so that the level ot the water in the tank is disclosed by the level ci" the water in the tube. This 'form oi indicating means is satisfactory7 in warm countries or during the summer months in the temperate zones, but under the iniiuence oi freezing temperatures they become inoperative and hence are impractical. Other mechanisms have been suggested but none, so far as I am aware, are so constructed as to prevent .freezing of the water coming into contact therewith from impairing its operation. In the present invention I provide a construcn tion which accurately discloses the level of the water in the tank of a locomotive tender and upon which freezing temperatures have no eiiect whatsoever.

The present invention further contemplates the provision of means whereby the water scoop is automatically raised when the water in the tank during the filling of the same reaches a predetermined level. I am aware that heretofore it has been suggested to directly connect the water scoop of a locomotive tender with a float mechanism whereby when the water reaches a predetermined level, the scoop is raised. It is apparent,

' however, that such a construction is entirely impractical and is not and never has been used to my knowledge. It has been found necessary to employ power means to raise and lower the water scoop of a locomotive tender and the means universally used at the present time comprises an air cylinder, the piston of which is connected to the scoop and the application oiC compressed air to I which is governed by a manually controlled valve.

' tion.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide automatically actuated means, in combination with this valve, whereby when the valve is moved to a position to lower the water scoop, it is automatically moved to a position to cause lifting of the water scoop when a predetern'iined vlevel of water is reached in the water tank. This means comprises an air cylinder having a piston operatively cooperating with the conventional scoop control valve, and the entrance of air to this cylinder is controlled by valvular means which is in turn controlled kby a float mechanism in the water tank. Thus, by this phase of the present invention the conventional scoop control valve may be manually placed in position to allow the scoop to pick up water and when a predetermined level of water is reached in the water tank, the lmechanism is automatically moved to place the scoop control valve in raised scoop posi- Furthermore, by a suitable arrangement ot the parts, I am enabled to employ the water level indicator above described in the dual capacity of a water level indicator and as a means for moving the scoop control handle operating mechanism to a position to move the scoop control handle to inoperative or raised scoop position. Y

In accordance with the present invention, I show in the accompanying drawing a locomotive tender indicated generally as 10 in Fig. 1 and which is provided with wheels 11. The interior oit' the tender 10 is provided with a v rtically extending transverse wall 12 connected to a bottom wall 13 to thus provide storage space for coal, the space being accessible from the liront or right hand end and as viewed in Fig. 1 in accordance with conventhe member 17 being provided with a pin 19 1 upon which one end of the arm 1G is pivotally mounted and maintained in a position axially of the pin 19 by suitable means such as the washer 2O and pin 21. Thearm 16 extends rearwardly from the pin 19 and at its rear end is provided with a suitable float 22 which may be on any suitable construction.y

secured-to ythe side sheet above the top sheet 14, as indicated `in Fig. 2, has pivotally mounted thereon a bell crank 27 and the upper end of the rod 25 is pivotally connected ,as at 28 to the horizontally extending` arm 'of such bell crank. The upwardly extending arm of the bell crank 27 is suitably secured to a rod 29'which extends forwardly therefrom andv terminates adjacent the front end of the I- atender, and such forward end is provided with Ia pointer such as 39. A dial 31 is suitably mounted at the front end of the tender in co-operative relationship with respect to the pointer 30.

e; rEhe action of this mechanism will be apparent. As the level of the water in the water tank drops, the float 22 will be carried downwardly therewith, causing the arm 16 to `turn in a counter-clockwise direction about 20'; the pin 19 as viewed in Fig. 1 and will move the vertically extending rod downwardly. As the rod 25 moves downwardly it will cause the bell crank 27 to turn in a counter-clockwise direction and will draw the rod 29 and g5, the pointer 30 rearwardly, the pointer 8O moving over the face of the dial 81 indicating` the position of the float 22 in the water tank and therefore the level of the water in such tank. Conversely, when the water is 3'0? introduced into the tank, the float 22 will risc and the pointer 30 will move forwardly on the dial 81-in accordance therewith, thus indicating the level of the water in the tank on the dial 31. This portion of the present- 35", invention may be adapted to any of the conventional tender constructions without any further additions, and in such case when 'the scoop is lowered the position of the pointer 30 relative to the dial 31 may be watched and .'jfwhen it has moved to full 'tank position, the scoop may lbe raised by the conventional means by manual operation of the scoop control valve, and thereby raise the scoop before the water overflows the tank.

5i lWhen locomotive tenders pass around a curve, the centrifugal force acting on the water tends to throw it to that side of the tank on the outside of the curve, and for the purpose of preventing undue movement of the 'water from this cause, so-called splash plates (not shown) extending vertically ofl the water tank and along the length of the same are generally employed. Due to the same reason unless some means were provided 55rito prevent it, the force of'this movement of the water acting on the float 22 might damage the various parts of the water level indicating mechanism. In order to prevent this, I prefer to pro-vide means for guiding the float ooarm 16 in its vertical movement and which guiding means will serve to resist lateral movement of the lioat 22. This may be simply taken care of as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 by securing `a relatively heavy strap memiber 34 to the side sheet 15 `midway between the pin 1-9 and float 22, the strap 34 extending vertically and in a position to bear against the float arm 16. Itmay also be noted that in order to prevent possible damage to the rod or shaft 29, I prefer to position the various parts of the mechanism so that the rod or shaft 29 lies beneath and in the protection of the usual angle 4bar 35 provided along the upper-edges of the side sheets 15.

Although `the float control mechanism above described may be employed as a visual indicating` means for warning the engineer or lireman of a locomotive as to the proper time to manually actuate the scoop control valve in order to lifty the water scoop, I prefer to scoops, andfor that reason Aa brief description only ofthe same without going intodetail will be necessary'for those skilled in the art. A discharge pipe 40 which extends below the bottom of the tender passes upward- .ly through the same through the top sheet 14 and is reversely bent at its .upper end-so as to again project through the top sheet 14 and discharges downwardly immediately below the same. To thelower end ofthe `pipe 40 is connected the water scoop 41 by a flexible connection so as to permit pivotal movement of the scoop l41about the pin 42 through which'it is supported from the tender. The freeend of the scoop 41 is connected by a linkv 43 to one end .of the kbell crank 44 pivotally mounted at 45. The upper arm of the bell crank 44 is connect'ed to the rod46 of'ay piston acting in the cylinder 47. The cylinder on either side of the piston therein is connected by the pipes 48 and 49 to 1a control valve indicated generally as 50 in Figs. 1 and 3. A

third pipe 51 connects the valve 50 with a compressed air tank 52carried by the tender and which is maintained under pressure by a suitable connection (not shown) tofan air compressor located on the locomotive. A fourth pipe 53 is connected to the control valve 5() and 'serves to conduct the air exhausted from the cylinder 47 to av point adjacent the ground. This construction is ex.- actly in accordance with conventional practice and the operation is the same. When the handle 54 of the valve is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in the drawing, air .from thetank 52 passes through the pipe 51 through the valve and thence through the pipe 48 to the cylinder 47 and moves the piston therein soas to turn the bell ico crank 44 in a clockwise direction against the force of the various counterbalance springs to lowered position so that the scoop may be received in a trough such as between the rails 76, the valve 50 permitting the escape of the air on the opposite side of the piston through the pipe 49 and pipe 53. When the tank has filled with w'ater the handle is turned in a clockwise direction. This releases the air from the rear side of the cylinder 47 through the pipe 48 and pipe 53 and directs air from the tank 52 through the pipe 51 through the pipe 49 into the cylinder 47 and causes the bell crank 44 to be moved in a counter clockwise to lift the scoop 4l.

In accordance with the present invention I mount a cylinder 56 adjacent the dial 31. The cylinder 56 is provided with a piston 57 having a piston rod 58 projecting rearwardly out of the same. The cylinder 56 is positioned with its axis parallel to the path of movement of the rod 29 and in a position permitting engagement of the rear end of the piston rod 58 with the pointer 30 which may be enlarged to insure proper engagement between itself and the piston rod 58. The forward portion of the interior wall of the cylinder 56 is provided with an interior groove 59 which is connected by a pipe 60 to the pipe 48 between the valve 5() and the cylinder 47. The rear end of the cylinder 56 is connected by a pipe 6l to a cylinder 62, the axis of which extends in the direction of the plane of movement of the handle 54 of the control valve 50. TNithin the cylinder 62 is positioned a piston 63 provided with a piston rod 64 which extends forwardly and which is slidably connected as at 65 to the handle 54 by means of a slotted connection. The groove 59 in the cylinder 56 is of greater length than the piston 57 so that when the piston 57 has been moved to a predetermined point in the cylinder 56, air on the forward side of the piston 57 may pass through the groove 59 to the rear side of the piston 57 and escape through the pipe 6l to the cylinder 62, the air acting on the rear face of the piston 63 moving it forwardly and thus moves the valve to raised scoop position. A coil spring 77 held under compression between the piston 57 and the forward end of the cylinder 56 serves to constantly urge the rod 58 towards contact with the pointer 30. The diameter of the cylinder 56 and piston 57 is kept suiiiciently small as to prevent any substantial influence of the pressure from the pipe 48 acting thereon on the ioat 22. Furthermore, the position of the cylinder 56 with respect to the pointer 30 is so arranged that until the pointer 30 has moved to substantially full tank position, the piston 57 will not be bridged by the groove 59.

The operation of this part of the construction is as follows: Considering the water tank partly empty so that the pointer 30 assumes a position such as is indicated in Fig. 2 and the handle 54 is in its inoperative position, such as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and considering that the locomotive is passing over a water trough, the handle 54 is movedby hand to the position indicated in full lines in Fig. Any air that maybe trapped between the rear face of the piston 63 and the rear wall of the cylinder 62 may escape during such movement through a blceder opening such as 67 provided linthe rear wall of the cylinder 22l This movement of the handle 54 as previously described permits air from the tank 52 to pass through the pipes 5l and 48 to the cylinder 47 and place the scoop 4l in lowered position so as to catch the water in the trough 75 and force it through the pipe 49 to the water tank, and in passing air to the pipe 48 it also passes air to the forward side of the piston 57 through the pipe 60. is the level of the water in the water tank rises, the float 22 moves upwardly and moves the pointer 30 forwardly, and the pointer in moving forwardly acting through the rod 58 moves the piston 57 forwardly. As the water in the water tank approaches its allowable high limit, the piston 57 bridges the groove 59 and permits air to escape around it, which air passes through the pipe 6l and into the cylinder 62 and acting against the piston 63 moves the handle 54 in a clockwise direction back to the inoperative position indicated by the dotted lines Fig. 2, thus shutting off the iiow of air through the pipe 48 to the cylinder' 47 and permitting the escape of the air trapped therein, and permitting the flow of air through the pipe 49 to the cylinder 47 to cause the scoop 41 to be lifted. Thus the level of the water in the water tank of the tender acting on the float 22 controls the piston valve 57 so as to admit air to the cylinder 62 and thus cause automatic movement of the control handle 54 to raise the scoop when the water tank has become filled. This obviates any possibility of the water overiiowing the tender and insures positive action of the water scoop 41.

lt may be noted at this point that although l show the pipe 60 connected to the pipe 48 it may, if desired, be connected to the pipe 5l with equally successful results, and in such case, as the air pressure would constantly be acting on the forward side of the piston 57 the spring 77 could be dispensed with. However, in order to obviate possibility of application of the brakes due to sudden release of the air pressure in the supply tank if the pipe 60 should break, T prefer to lconnect the pipe 60 to the pipe 48, as shown, so that the only time the pipe 66 is under pressure is when the control handle 54 is movedto the left while the scoop is in lowered position and the tank is being filled.

Tt is not necessary to employ the pointer 30 and dial 3l when using this automatic means for lifting the scoop 4l, but inas-inuch as very little additional expense is involved in eniployiiig the dual features ot the float control mechanism, it is preferable. It will also be apparent that the particular form of mechanism shown between tl e ioat control mechanism and the scoop control valve is subject to various inodiications, that being shown being more or less diagrammatic and indicative of a suitable construction, without departing from the spirit et the present invention. @ther obvious changes may be made such as for instance, instead of employing the slotted connection between the control valve arm 54 and piston rod 64, the piston rod 64 may be cutoi as at 66 in Fig. E2 so that it will merely bear against the arm 54. It will also be apparent that the particular type of Heat mechanism shown for controlling the position of the piston 57 may be varied without departing from the present invention, and such a variation may take the form illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the construction illustrated in FigA 4 the i'ioat arm 16, neat 22 and rod Q5 are employed as previously described. However, instead ot providing the axially movable rod member 29 at the top of the tender connected to the rod 25 by the bell crank 27, I provide a rotatable shaft or rod member 67 which may be suitably supported in bearing members 68 secured to the side sheet l5 above the top sheet 14 and which is provided with an arm 69 to the outer end ot which the rod Q5 is pivotally connected, so that vertical movement of the float 22 will cause rotational movement ot the shaft 67. The forward end of the rod 67 in this case is provided with a pointer 70 moving over a semi-circular dial 7l for indicating the level of the water, and instead of the pointer 70 cooperating` with the piston rod 58 as in Fig. 2, the shaft 67 may be provided with a cam such as 7 2 acting against a tappet member 73 carried by the piston rod 58 in order to impart axial movement to the piston rod 58. The cylinder 56 in this construction must, ont course, be mounted perpendicularly to the aXis of the shaft 67 in creer that movement of the cam 72 will impart the correct movement to the piston rod 58. These and other Jformal changes in ay be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without depa c ng from the spirit or substance ot the broad invention, the scope of which is com-A mensurate with the appended claims.

I.What I claim is:

l. In a locomotive tender, incoinbination with the scoop control valve thereof, a cylinder provided with a piston operatively connected to said valve, and means governed by the level of the water in the water tank of said tender tor controlling the application of pressure to said cylinder in order to actuate said valve.

2. In a locomotive tender, in combination,

a water tank, a scoop operatively connected to said lwater tank, .a ,piston .operatively con- :nectedto said scoop,asourceofitluid zpressure,

a valve for controlling the application of `said pressure to said piston Vor-raisin, ,0f or lower, o

means controlled :by the ilevel of water'in-said@7 tank for actuating the last mentioned valvular means.

3. Ina locoinotivetenderin combination, a water tank, a water scoop, pressure actuated vmeans'tor moving said scoop, a valve orfcon- 80 trolling the application ot pressu-relto said means, a-secondpressure actuated meansufor moving said valve, a. secondvvalve 'for `controlling the application of :pressure `to -fsaid second pressure actuated means, iand means .185

controlled by the level oi'fwater-finsai'd tank for :moving said second valve.

4. In a locomotivetender, in combination, a water tank, -a Ywater scoop control-valve manually lmovable `to lowered -scoop iposition, f90 .a cylinder, a piston invsaid ycylinderfoperatively associated with said valve, valvular means for controlling the aimlicationotpressure to said eylinder,.a float in said'itank,rand

means connecting said fiicat and said valvular "195 means whereby the latter tis fmovedto 1admit pressure :to said cylinder -when the y'water in said tank 'reaches `a predetermined height.

5. Ina Alocomotive tender,in combination,

`a water tank, Aa scoop operatively connected '100 to said water'tank, a ypiston operatix'felylconnected to saidscoop,'asourcefoflfluid @pressure, a valve for controlling"therapplication -oilsaid pressure tosaidipiston for raisin'gor lowering said scoop, afleverion said Wal-ve, a

second` piston operatively connected ito said lever, valvular :means for controlling the application of vpressure to said second `piston, and means controlled bv 'the l:level of water in said tank for actuating the flast;menti'oned 11o valvular lmeans, the vlast `inentioned'means iincluding tmeans :for visually .indicating `:the level of water in ysaid tank.

6. In a locomotive tender, in combination,

a water tank, a water scoop control valve, 3115 visual water level indicating means, pressure actuated means for moving said valve, valvular means for controlling the application of pressure to said pressure actuated means, and

a float in water tank operatively connected todi-20 both said indicating means and said valvular means.

7. In a locomotive tender, in combination, a water tank. a water scoop control valve,

pressure actuated means for inovingsaid valve, 3125 valvular means for controlling the application of pressure to said pressure actuated means, a float in said tank, a connection between said float and said valvular means including movable shaft, a pointer carried by said shaft i and movable there 7ith, and a stationary dial co-onerating` with said pointer to provide visual indicating means for the water in said tank.

8. In a locomotive tender, in combination with the water tank thereof, a vertically movable water scoop operatively connected to said tank, a cylinder provided with a piston operatively connected to said scoop for controlling,` the position thereof, a valve, an air supply pipe connected to said valve, a second pipe connecting said valve with said cylinder on one side of said piston whereby movement of said valve to admit air to said second pipe will raise said scoop, a third pipe connecting said valve with said Cylinder on the opposite side of said piston whereby movement of said valve to admit air to said third pipe will lower said scoop, a second valve mechanism connected to said third pipe, a second cylinder connected with said second valve mechanism, a piston in said second cylinder cooperating with the first valve to control the position thereof, and a. float mechanism in said tank co-operating with said second valve mechanism to control the passage of air throue'h the same to said second cylinder.

9. In a locomotive tender, in combination with the water tank and scoop control valve thereof, means movable by the variation of water level in said tank, power means for moving` said valve, and automatically7 actuated means co-operating between the first mentioned means and said power means for moving' said valve to one extremity of its movable positions upon the presence of a predetermined water level in said tank.

10. In a locomotive tender. in combination, a water tank, a scoop for feeding water to said tank during movement of said tender, power'means for raising' and lowering said scoop, a valve for Controlling said power means, and automatically actuated power means controlled by the level of water in said tank for moving' said valve to scoop raising position upon the presence of a predetermined water level within said tank.

JESSE C. DUDLEY. 

